Wednesday 1 July 2015 19:40, UK
Northamptonshire took command of their LV= County Championship Division Two clash with Lancashire after an entertaining third day at Old Trafford which saw 15 wickets fall in the Manchester heat.
By the close, the hosts still required 395 runs for an unlikely victory having been set 414 runs to win - a target which would be their record fourth innings total, beating the 404-5 they made in 1910 to beat Hampshire at Southampton.
Much of the damage was done in a dreadful morning session for Lancashire as their hopes of at least matching Northamptonshire's impressive first innings total of 438 were dashed after the visitors took the new ball.
Inroads were quickly made as first James Faulkner (seven) edged Azharullah to second slip before skipper Steven Croft chopped a delivery from Steven Crook onto his stumps for 25.
Crook, a former Lancashire player, then followed up with two more victims as both Jordan Clark (18) and Tom Bailey (seven) also played on to their wickets for figures of 3-28.
When Simon Kerrigan skied an attempted hook shot off Azharullah (2-57) to Josh Cobb for two, Lancashire had lost their last six wickets for 51 runs and conceded a first innings lead of 130.
An early breakthrough for the Red Rose added to the drama of the opening session as Kyle Coetzer mistimed a pull behind to Alex Davies off Tom Bailey (1-14) to fall for five, leaving Northants on 31-1 at lunch with a lead of 161.
Wickets fell regularly throughout a middle session dominated by 20-year-old Ben Duckett who appeared to be playing a different game from his fellow batsmen as he moved towards his second century of the match.
At the other end, Lancashire's bowlers enjoyed some success for their toil in the heat with Kerrigan bowling skipper Alex Wakely for nine, before Australian James Faulkner (2-31) found himself on a hat-trick for the second time in the game after dismissing Rob Keogh (20) and Richard Levi (zero), both lbw, in successive deliveries.
When Adam Rossington (15) was unlucky to be given out caught at short leg by Croft off the bowling of Aaron Lilley, Lancashire could sniff a slight chance at 110-5 with the lead still under 250.
But Duckett soon snuffed out any hope of a Lancashire recovery as he moved to 88, before inexplicably hitting Lilley (3-97) straight to Ashwell Prince at mid-on when a century seemed inevitable.
After tea, 113 more runs were added as some lusty blows from Cobb (52 not out), Crook (37) and Olly Stone (35) combined with some weary fielding from Lancashire allowed Northants to declare on 283-9 before the hosts negotiated a tricky period of six overs to finish on 19-0.
